Motor vehicle manufacturers aim to eliminate rattles, squeaks, and other undesired noises which might occur when a vehicle is in use. These noises occur when the vehicle is subjected to vibrations during use.
A number of different simulation systems have been developed to allow identification of noises on a test bed. Hydraulic actuator simulator tests are known in which a stationary vehicle has its wheels driven on sets of actuators. The vehicle is subjected to different frequencies of vibration by changing the excitation frequency of the actuators. Rattle noises resulting from the vibration are then listened for and measured.
An inherent problem with typical rattle detection system using vibration simulation systems is that these systems are for use with actual vehicles or near production vehicle prototypes. In essence, typical rattle detection systems resolve rattle issues through a find and fix approach after the vehicle has been designed and produced. As a result, design prevention of rattle events before a finished prototype is produced is limited to general guidelines and lessons learned from experience. The typical rattle detection systems provide no objective data to advocate proposed design suggestions.
Vehicle manufacturers use computer aided engineering (CAE) to design vehicles before actually building them. CAE allows vehicle manufacturers to study various different vehicle designs to determine the best design before actually building a vehicle incorporating the chosen design. Traditional CAE analysis only addresses vehicle structure concerns.
What is needed is a vehicle rattle detection method and system based on CAE, thereby enabling vehicle manufacturers to simulate the rattle, squeak, and other noises associated with different vehicle designs prior to actually building vehicles incorporating the vehicle designs.